How to Select, Set Up, and Use Gymnastics Rings for Home Workouts
Gymnastics rings aren’t just for Olympic gymnasts. They’re cheap, versatile, and open up a whole world of training possibilities if you’re working out at home without weights. Setting them up can seem a little confusing at first, so here’s a guide to buying, hanging and using gymnastics rings.
What are gymnastic rings and what are they for?
Rings are exactly what they sound like: hoops, traditionally made of wood, that are suspended from straps. You can stand underneath them and stretch to do pull-ups, ring rows, or any of dozens of other pulling exercises.
If you train without weights, you’ve probably found ways to do pushing exercises (push-ups are a classic) and perhaps leg exercises (like lunges or pistol squats). But if you want to get a full workout in, you’ll need something to stretch yourself on, so gymnastics rings are a great option.
We have a list of some of the best exercises you can do with a suspension machine , and most of them can also be done with gymnastics rings. There are ways to do rows, bicep curls, leg exercises, and more.
Should you buy gymnastics rings or a TRX set?
Before we get into the details of rings, let’s answer an important question: Do you need rings or do you need a suspension trainer like the TRX set?
The main difference is that the two suspension trainer straps are attached to each other and are designed to be attached to the same point. Gymnastic rings, on the other hand, are separate. You can hang them both on a bar or rafter overhead and position yourself between them to do push-ups, for example. You can’t do that with TRX.
On the other hand, almost anything you can do with a TRX set, you can do with rings. So if you’re torn between the two, I’d go with rings.
Which rings should I choose?
Traditional gymnastic rings are made of wood. If you’re using yours indoors, I’d go with the traditional one . They usually come in a set that includes two rings and a pair of long straps. The bands can have numbers on them, which is great – you can remember which numbers you use for each exercise, and you can easily set both rings to the same height by matching the numbers.
If you want to hang rings outdoors, I’ll modify this suggestion to this: get a simple pair of rings, smooth ones if possible, but get ones that are made of plastic. (I have them , and I hold onto the smooth black part, not the weird, grippy orange part.) This is because the wooden rings can grow mold if they get wet and stay wet. This isn’t a problem if you take good care of your rings, but if your kids are going to steal them and hang them on the swing for a week, plastic rings will hold up better. Ask me how I know.
Where to hang gymnastic rings?
First, find a good location. Do not use a tree branch unless you are confident that the branch is strong, sturdy, can support your weight without bouncing, and that the branch is completely alive. Dead branches tend to break suddenly and this can end badly for you.
Good places to hang rings:
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The rafters of your porch, park gazebo, or similar structure.
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Hooks or bolts that you have installed in a solid part of the ceiling.
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Crossbar (for example, on a “tower” in a gym or fitness park)
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Any strong horizontal bar on park equipment
As an example of the latter category, playgrounds often have several good options; just stay away if kids are playing. The same goes for basketball hoops: if no one is using the basketball court, there is often a horizontal bar at the back of the hoop on which you can hang the hoops.
How to hang gymnastic rings?
Pay attention to the buckles on the belts. They usually have a cam lock, so you thread the other end of the belt and pinch a lever to adjust the length of the belt. There are several different styles of this buckle, but generally the procedure goes something like this:
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Place the buckle over the bar or support. Lower it to a comfortable working height (say chest level).
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Thread the buckle through the ring and hold it so that the buckle lever is facing you with the open end facing up.
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Pass the long end of the belt through the buckle from back to front and adjust to the desired length.
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Fold the excess strap if you want to keep it out of the way and secure it with the included Velcro straps (if you have them).
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If necessary, move the buckle and excess strap up or down to keep them out of the way.
Here’s a video that walks you through this process step-by-step for two common types of buckles.
Try some exercises for beginners
The easiest ring exercises to start with are the ones where your body is under the rings, so you reach up and pull the rings. Try circle rows with your feet on the ground and move on to pull-ups (or any pull-up variations you like , such as negatives). Rings are also a great way to perform dead hangs .
Pushing exercises are more difficult. I recently tried ring push-ups for the first time. My thought process was, “I can do push-ups. I have rings. Sounds simple.” They were the exact opposite of simple! The rings swayed beneath me, and I had to strain my whole body to stay in the air. I tried a test bend at the elbow and was able to do it several times. I don’t know if they can be called real failures.
But if you can do push-ups, you can work up to ring push-ups. One helpful modification is to bend your knees and rest your toes on the bench behind you. This supports some of your weight, making the load (your body) lighter; it also gives you a bit of stability.
Another important step, according to people who teach calisthenics and calisthenics, is to start not with push-ups, but with “support holds,” simply getting to the top of the push-up and holding it without trying to do anything else. Over time, your body will learn to stabilize and you can move on to more challenging exercises.